Business systems are configured by setting up a large number of pieces of IT equipment (servers, storage, networks, and the like) and using operating systems (OS)/middleware/applications that are installed in the IT equipment. A plurality of such business systems may be running. Data centers perform operational tasks, such as monitoring or maintenance, for such business systems.
Equipment for automating operational tasks (for example, runbook automation equipment) creates a workflow describing the operational tasks to be automated. At this point, the operational manager takes into consideration the simultaneous execution of a plurality of workflows, and performs mutual exclusion by adding exclusive sections to the workflows and by performing scheduling that defines the order of the workflows. The following techniques are for automatically managing such workflows.
For example, with computer software applications, there is a method of managing message flows in which messages are processed in parallel using process nodes. Process nodes include at least one set of a lock acquisition node, a system resource access node, and a lock release node, which are mutually connected on a flow path. In such a set, these nodes are mutually connected on a flow path, and each message is processed in an order defined by the flow path. In response to the lock acquisition node having processed each message, the processing for each message in the set is exclusively permitted access to system resources. In response to the processing of the message by a system resource access node of the set, system resource access for the message is granted. Access to resources for the messages includes changes to certain system states. The exclusive access to system resources is released in response to the processing of the message by the lock release node of the set.
Japanese National Publication of International Patent Application Number 2006-511857 is an example of the related art.